Auto-top



A. E. LYONS.

AUTO TOP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8.19l8.

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EET 2- aw QR? .A. E. LYON S.

TO TOP.

APPLICA FILED JULY 8,1918.

q vitueow ALFRED n. LYONS, or SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

- Au'ro-Tor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed J'uly s, 1918. Serial No. 243,870.

. T all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED E. LYoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to same.

The invention relates to an automobile top, and more particularly to the class of telescopic or foldable automobile tops, commonly known as one man tops.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a top of this character wherein side supports are entirely dispensed with and the top can be raised or extended and lowered or folded with despatch by one person, the top when raised or lowered being neat and attractive in appearance, and on the raising thereof no side supports are visible which ordinarily obstruct the view of occupants of the automobile.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a top of this character wherein the same will be supported in extended position without the use of side supports or other equivalent structure, the top when folded being compact to occupy minimum space and without detracting from the neat and symmetrical contour of'the body of the automobile. I

A further object of the invention is the make and use the provision of a top of this character wherein the construction thereof is novel in form to assure strength and durability, and also which can be manufactured at a minimum expense and is economical to install, the top being adaptable for touring cars or roadsters, and in fact can be installed on'all makes of automobiles.

The invention furthermore has for an additional object to improve tops of the indicated character, in varying particulars, to the end that efficiency in operation may be promoted, as well as simplicity in construction and convenience in adjustment and control. i

The invention will be particularly explained in the specific description followlteference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views.

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile body showing the top constructed in accordance with the invention raised or extended;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the top in its lowered or folded position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the top with the cover removed, the top being extended;

Fig. 4 is vertical longitudinal sectional view through the top, showing the same folded;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the main or power bow showing in detail one of the slides and latch;

F ig; 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail side view showing another slidable connection and latch of the frame of the top;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the part shown in 7, certain of said parts being shown by full lines and the other parts being shown by dotted lines;

Fig. 9 is fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line i()1O of Fig. 9.

In constructing a practical embodiment of the invention in accordance with the illustrated example the automobile top frame A is provided, preferably with a main how 10 which has its side limbs formed with curved extremities 11 each'having an eye for the pivotal mounting thereof on the stud pintle 12 of a bracket 13 fixed to the body B of'the automobile. It is of course understood that two of these brackets are employed, and fixed to opposite sides of the body B near the back or at the rear end portion thereof. The body 13 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is of the touring car type. yet the same may be of the roadster type, and is illustrated merely for the pur-' poses of showing the mounting and the operation of the top as will be hereinafter fully described.

Each limb of'the main how 10 is formed with a longitudinally disposel inverted substantially T-shaped groove 14 in which is slidably engaged the correspondingly shaped slide runner 15 of a pivot bearing 16. The slide runner 15 at opposite sides thereof carries anti-friction rollers .17 Which travel,

engages with a keeper 23 on the side arm r or limb er the main bow 10 to lock thesame against swinging movement when the top -1s extended, or ralsed.

Slidab'ly supportedon the rear how '19 is '5 the intermediate bow 2d, the side limbs or arms of which "are pivoted to bearings each being constructed identically to the bearing'16 and slidably engaged in a lon- 7 gitudinal groove 26 formed in each of the arms or limbs of the said intermediate bow 24, the groove 26 being identical to the groove 1e. in each side limb or arm of the main bow of the frame of the'top. Pivotedto each bearing 25 is a swinging latch 27 adapted for detachable engagement with a keeper 28 on each side limb orarm of the intermediate bow 2% so as to hold the latter'aga'inst swinging movement-when the top is raised to extended position. The bearings 16 each has pivoted thereto a latch 29 which is adapted for detachable engagement with a keeper 30 on each side limb or arm of the rear bow 19 p to lockit' against swinging movement when the said top is raised or extended.

Pivoted in a slot in each side limb or arm of the several bows is a lockingdog 31 which is held in looking positionthrough the medium of a coiled expansion spring 32 fitted within the limb or arm andthe said dog is-formed with a finger engaging extension 33 which slidably fits in a guide 34 exteriorly ofthe limb or arm and when manually operated releases the dog from locking position with the slide runner. The

dog 31 serves to lock the bearing when the bowsareextended.

Slidablysupported upon the intermediate'bow 24 is the'break jointed front bow 35 to which the front end of the top cover 21 is fastened in anysuitable manner. Each limb of'the front bow 35 is formed in two sections 36 and 37 respectively, the meeting ends of which are connected together through the medium of a break joint'hinige 38 and the said section 37 is pivoted at 38 to a slide bearing '39 corresponding to either of the'b'earings 16"or' 25 and slidablv fitted in a'longitudinal groove 10 formed in each of the side limbs or arms of the intermedi bow 24,- the groove 40 being similar to either of the grooves 14 or'26 hereinbeforel describedn liiounted in each of the side limbs or arms of-the bow 24 is a spring held hand released dog 11 for the side bearing 39 to lock the same when the front and keepersv like those already described may be employed for this purpose. V

, Mounted on the sections 37' of the side limbs or arms'of the front'bow 35 is a swingingfront crown brace 42 which is pivoted at d3, to'the said sections 37 and together with the brace 20 prevents the sagging of the top cover 21. when extended. The sections 36 each of the-front bow 35 at its pivoted end is formed with an angular prop extension id for" the front crown brace 42 to hold the same'in bracing position for the cover 21 when the top is eX- tended. V V

Pivotallyconnected with each side limb or arm'of the main bow 10 is a hinge jointed clamping device 45 which is adapted for detachable connection with the front how 35 when the top frame is in'folded'position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing so as to prevent relative displacement of the bows in their folded "position while the top is lowered.

In the operation of'the top. assuming that the same is extendedor raised, the front dogs elcar'e'release'd from the bearings 39 so that the sections 3? of the front bow can be moved rearwardly longitudinally of the intermediate bow 24 by the sliding of the bearings 39 in the side'lim'bs or arms of said inte'rmediate'bo'w. This reduces the tension on the cover, and next'the sections of the front how can be folded over onto each other with the front part of the cover between them. the bearings 39 run forward in the intermediate bow,"and the folded cover and folded front bow swung under said in termediate bow. "Next-the dogs 31in the rear bow'19 are released from the bearings 25 which permits the said intermediate how 24 to be moved rearwardly,-'and the latch 29 is released from the keeper 30so "that the said intermediate bow 24 can be swung close to-a-nd against therear bow. 'The rear crown brace 20 is next folded on to the how 19, an dthe dogs 31 in the main bow 1'0 are released from the bearing 16 whereupon the same are slid toward the pivoted end thereof. thus bringing the rear bow to lowered position. Next the latch 27 is disengaged from the keeper 28'permittin'g the rear how 19 to be folded against the main bow, and finally the latch 22is disengagec'l from the keeper 23 to permit the main bow to be brought to lowered position and'thus the therefore a inor top is completely folded in the position shown in Figs. 2 and e of the drawings.

The opening of the top will reverse this operation and a detailed explanation thereof has been omitted for the sake of brevity.

From the foregoing it is though that the construction and manner of operation of the top will be clearly understood, a d exte l efzplanation has been omitted. However, it is contemplated to make changes, vaiations and modifica tions in the invention such as come properly within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advanto What is claimed is:

l. in a foldable top of the character decribed the coinbin i 1 with the cover;

6 igly supper c. main lD-GW, a rear wingir :7 connected with in how, an in't91111( r lidably and sw gingly connected with the rear EL :7 in

bov' -Jont how carried by the intermed "e bow, means locking all bows and latches for holding the parts against pivotal movement and dogs for holding them against sliding movement out of their set positions which distend said cover.

3. In a top prop for autos, the combination with a main bow adapted to be supported by the body, and other bows, all bows having longitudinal grooves in their limbs; of a runner slidable in the groove of each bow and to which runner another bow is pivoted, a latch on the runner, a

hoe 361 on the pivoted bow adapted to be engaged by said latch when such bow is opened up, and means for fastening the runners at points within said. grooves.

4. In a top prop for autos, the combination with a main bow adapted to be supported by the body, and other bows, all bows having longitudinal grooves in their limbs; of a runner slidable in the groove of each bow and to which runner another bow is pivoted, a latch on the runner, a keeper on the pivoted bow adapted to be engaged by said latch when such bow is opened up, and a spring-actuated dog mounted in each bow at a point to lock the runner oi the next bow with the latter in position to distend the top.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence or" two witnesses.

ALFRED E. LYONS.

\Vitnesses:

F. G. LYoNs, Anon, Joe. 

